Japanese double for first-crop stallions

With their first-crop of southern hemisphere bred yearlings set to go through the sales ring at the 2011 Magic Millions Premier yearling sale on the Gold Coast starting January 12, the winners continue to flow for the multiple G1 winners.

Autostrada became the 18th individual two-year-old winner from the first-crop of World Champion sprinter Henny Hughes (pictured) with his three-and-a-half length victory over 1800m at Nakayama. Bred by Masaki Ishigoka, Autostrada is the fourth runner and fourth winner for the Quiet American mare Mangano, a three-quarter sister to the G1 Kentucky Derby winner Real Quiet as well as a half-sister to triple G2 winner Allied Forces.

The only three-year-old to ever win the Vosburgh and the King’s Bishop, America’s most celebrated G1 sprints, Henny Hughes will have a draft of eight yearlings at the upcoming Magic Millions sale, highlighted by lot 536, a chestnut half-sister to G1-winning Dubawi two-year-old Happy Archer and the Listed-winning Shamardal three-year-old Femina Fashion.

With two G1 winners from his first crop already, Bernardini is sure to be the first–season sire to watch when his yearlings make their southern hemisphere debut in the sale ring in a few weeks time. The victory of two-year-old colt Sir Lancelot provided the 2006 World Champion three-year-old with his 13th individual winner. Out of the G2-winning, G1-placed Twining mare Two Item Limit, Sir Lancelot was bred by Symboli Stud and created a very good impression with his three length victory over 1400m.

A runaway winner of the G1 Preakness, the G1 Travers and the G1 Jockey Club Gold Cup, Bernardini is well represented at the first yearling sale of the year, having 20 yearlings catalogued including a half-sister to the five-time G1 winner Eremein (lot 324), a half-sister to the G3-winning, G1 placed stallion Fast ‘N’ Famous (lot 628) as well as a half-brother to this Singapore G3-winning Shamardal colt Gingerbread Man (lot 434).

To view all the essentials, latest news, up-to-date yearling pedigrees, videos, interviews and telling details for not only Henny Hughes and Bernardini, but any of the remaining four Darley first-season sires, please click here.